To celebrate their first anniversary as a project, our Local Nature Partnership team share their progress and some examples of great projects they’ve helped facilitate over the past year.
The Local Nature Partnership (LNP) Cymru project is a Welsh Government funded project which aims to build a nature recovery network across Wales.
The partnership consists of all local authorities and national park authorities across Wales, Wales Biodiversity Partnership, WCVA and the Local Environment Records Centres (LERC).
There is an LNP Coordinator based in each Local Authority and National Park Authority across Wales, uniquely placed to deliver effective action at the local level and contribute to the national nature recovery agenda.
Our mission is simple: to reconnect people with nature to ensure it is protected and nurtured now and in the future.
The project will build a nature recovery network, engaging people and communities, businesses and decision-makers in both practical action and strategic planning for a healthy, resilient and nature-rich Wales.
Where we’re at
LNP Cymru is a three-year project, and we are just beginning our second year!
A lot of progress was made in the first year, including ensuring that we have an LNP Coordinator in every region and starting to develop and grow local networks.
Whilst COVID-19 has slightly delayed the progress of some projects on the ground, our coordinators have been busy planning and networking and are ready to go back out as soon as safely possible.
To give you a taste of what LNP Cymru is about, here are some examples of projects facilitated by our LNPs over the last year.
Conwy
Conwy LNP worked in partnership with burial grounds managers to write nature conservation management into Conwy Local Authority Cemetery and Burial Ground Management Plans.
In doing so, this ensures that burial grounds across the area will be managed in a way which is not only beautiful, but also beneficial to biodiversity.
Caerphilly
In Caerphilly LNP, the Countryside Rangers worked with multiple schools and eco-clubs to construct and install swift boxes.
The children learnt lots about swifts, how to protect them and how to encourage them to create habitats on their school buildings.
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire LNP worked with multiple partners to create a new woodland in Wolfscastle.
The project came about because a local midwife was inspired by the Plant! Scheme, where a tree is planted for every child born in Wales. The team went on to plant 1,300 trees, which represents the number of children born in Pembrokeshire every year.
The new trees will also help tackle climate change by preventing flooding and connecting habitats.
Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan LNP carried out a re-wilding project on a 9-hole golf course with a number of partnership groups.
This even included planting an example area indicating three differing wildflower seeding techniques (wildflower turf, soil and seed mix and seed sowing) to provide anyone looking to develop wildflower meadow areas with a visual example of how each method performs and how to manage such areas.
How you can get involved
As you can see, LNP Cymru works with a diverse range of people and organisations, focusing on what is needed in their local area and using their connections to effectively implement targeted action.
Our LNP Coordinators can act as a first point of contact for anyone who wants to help nature in their local area.
If you’d like to get involved in the project for any reason at all, you can find your coordinator on the Wales Biodiversity Partnership website by clicking on your local authority and finding their contact details.
If you’d like to find out more about LNP Cymru, you can visit the website at LNP.cymru and get in touch directly with the LNP team.